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Christians Debate. Team #It’sOkayToDrink vs. Team #Don’tDrink

Which side are you on? The alcohol debate among Christians has been going on for decades. Team #It’sOkayToDrink holds to the fact that the Bible not only cites Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding but also instances when Jesus drinks wine. However, team #Don’tDrink has Biblical support, too, and we will be exploring those scriptures today. Almost anyone can quote Jesus’ miracle of turning water into wine, but how many people know the supporting scriptures for team #Don’tDrink? Exactly! This brings us to our key text coming out of Proverbs 23:29 — (KJV). The Word of the Lord reads:

29 Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. 34 Yea, thou thalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. 35 They have striken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

In modern terms, the scriptural support for team #Don’tDrink is saying, “Who has issues? People who drink.” This passage is saying, “Sure. Alcohol looks great, sounds great, and it may go down smooth, but if you’re not careful it will make you a hot mess.” To the credit of team #It’sOkayToDrink, it is worth noting that this Bible passage is not saying, “Drinking is banned by God, because it is evil,” but don’t get too excited. What it is warning us of is the fact that too much indulgence in alcohol — “tarrying long at the wine” — will put your life in shambles. Team #Don’tDrink simply and wisely operates on prevention. Their mentality is, “Wow! I don’t want those horrible consequences from alcohol, and I don’t want to risk it, so I think it’s best to just not drink at all.” The reality is that many people do not have the discipline to handle alcohol responsibly. Don’t believe me? Just watch the news. This is why our Heavenly Father gives us this warning in His Word.

Now that you know this passage of scripture, what side are you on now?